Postage from the states!!

[0arbreaka]

Ive just brought myself an alpinestars jacket from the states, and they sent it out via USPS, and im still bloody waiting for it almost two weeks later!! I mean you'd think that in this day and age that it wouldnt take longer than a week to recieve a package from the states, but it hasnt become apparent so far, I mean the yanks like to think of themselves as the most technologically advanced country in the world etc etc, yet there still bloody hopeless with theyr postage.
:ar15: :brick: :2guns: :angry2:
This is just me having a rave about it, but ARGHH!!!

Who else has had problems with getting stuff shipped here from the states?

[SwanTiger]

It's Christmas.

[0arbreaka]

I realise that, yet I still dont think it should take that long even during peak times.

[Trudes]

Most things I've had shipped from the States have arived within a week or two, although I did have a pair of boots take 5 weeks and we're still waiting for a set of handlebars, ordered six months ago, but think that may have more to do with middle-man fuck-up than shipping. It is Xmas also, so can expect a few delays. Do you have a tracking number?

[bobsmith]

I find that for some reason, whenever I get stuff from states, the customs takes forever with it. Besides the fact that the states postal service is NOT the most efficient by any means...

I've once had a express package delivered to me with tracking. In 2 days from shipping from the states, it was received in our customs and..... I got it 6 weeks later....

I quite often get packages from over there and though sometimes I get them within 2-3 weeks, it often takes 5-6 weeks... On the other hand, when I get stuff shipped from taiwan, south Korea or UK, it always gets here within 2 weeks... perhaps out customs officials just don't like the americans???

[scumdog]

Most times whatever I'm bringing in from the States is here in less than eight days.
Had a large box of chrome stuff arrive in Auckland in four days, took another seven to get here.:gob:

[Sparkz]

I have never had anything from the States arrive in less than 2 weeks for USPS Air Parcel. The norm is 2 to 3 weeks.
I shipped a muffler over using USPS Economy and it took 3 months!!!

[TLDV8]

Ive just brought myself an alpinestars jacket from the states, and they sent it out via USPS, and im still bloody waiting for it almost two weeks later!! I mean you'd think that in this day and age that it wouldnt take longer than a week to recieve a package from the states, but it hasnt become apparent so far, I mean the yanks like to think of themselves as the most technologically advanced country in the world etc etc, yet there still bloody hopeless with theyr postage.
:ar15: :brick: :2guns: :angry2:
This is just me having a rave about it, but ARGHH!!!

Who else has had problems with getting stuff shipped here from the states?

Simply saying USPS is worthless and shows you are a newbie (nothing personal)

If you had posted asking about importing as others have done you would have known about the various options.

These being the usual via USPS and some do not have tracking..You could have used UPS but it is ultra expensive.

Global Express Mail? (EMS) 3 - 5 Days

Airmail Parcel Post 4 - 10 Days

Economy (Surface) Parcel Post 4 - 6 Weeks

Ordering anything in December when it seems you want to use it is a gamble unless you pay for a expedited service.
Your jacket might even be coming via Surface which can take up to 5 weeks off the West Coast and 9 Weeks off the East Coast (I have used that option for engines and the like)

I have had over 100 packages sent via USPS Parcel Post from the USA with no problems to date.Average delivery time being around 2 weeks,more if Customs got it.

The item ordered has to be processed.
The item has to be packaged.
Taken or picked up by a courier for export.
Processed by the carrier.
Put on a appropriate form of transport which may not be a direct flight if airmail.
Unloaded here and processed by Customs.
If no duty it will go into the Courier system for delivery.
It may stay at the NZ Post facility if Duty is required.
Customs will process the paperwork until a letter is sent via the postal system.

At no time will anyone drop everything because you are a Kiwi or because you think you are special :laugh: unless you pay for it ie US$300 to airmail two wheel rims and rotor's via Express,here in 4 days.

Your jacket will no doubt turn up this week as long as it has not been nabbed by Custom's.
A good deal of the time going by the date stamps,the hold up is at this end on arrival.
Remember if you buy from the US state what delivery service you want.

[crazybigal]

customs prob still has it

[Blackbird]

Like others who buy stuff from the USA, I find delivery times are pretty darned good. Some stuff I ordered from the UK 3 weeks ago has only just arrived by airmail which I've put down to Xmas volume. Like a few others, I'd put down the most likely cause of the delays to our Customs people. I bought a jacket from the UK a few years ago and got hit for duty but last time I didn't. There seems to be some selective judgement applied unless the rules have changed. Prices were similar.

[bobsmith]

Your jacket will no doubt turn up this week as long as it has not been nabbed by Custom's.
A good deal of the time going by the date stamps,the hold up is at this end on arrival.
Remember if you buy from the US state what delivery service you want.

Damn... is it just me that gets stuff nabbed at customs all the time then???

Suck.... It's a great feeling when you order something by express with tracking (read: paid more for shipping than the item) and it gets to New Zealand in 2 days except that the customs holds it for 6 weeks...

[dawnrazor]

I just got a bunch of AS gear from the states, they sent it UPS (no S) and it took 2 days, I was able to track it online at every stop to here (california, canada, hawaii. ozzie, aucklnad) then the UPS NZ people rang me and could not have been more helpful if they tried AND when I enquired about a delivery time, I was given a 2 hour window (which it arrived in)

USPS - it ain't called surface mail for nothing I guess.... have they insured it incase it got stolen?????

[dawnrazor]

.You could have used UPS but it is ultra expensive.



is $80 ULTRA expensive for 2 day delivery of a 23KG box???

[sAsLEX]

is $80 ULTRA expensive for 2 day delivery of a 23KG box???

n o

[Lias]

In late november (23rd ish)I ordered some stuff from a place in the states I buy stuff from occasionally. Normally its here within a week, this time it took nearly 4 weeks, tis just the season I think.

[0arbreaka]

Its not just this occasion, Ive had stuff sent to me by members of my family via usps via express airmail during mid last year and it took a month to get here, not including the time at customs either.
I think next time I'll cough up for the more expensive but bloody worth it UPS with the tracking number. As they seem to be the better choice.

[sunhuntin]

i buy stuff from the states quite often, via amazon and ebay. have never had to wait longer that 3 weeks. the longest i think i bought on the weekend, it was here monday the following week. really good. think its just xmas.
ive got a box of stuff to post to a friend in invers....gonna wait til the new year cos i know itll be held up.

[0arbreaka]

Does the weight of the package have anything to do with the shipping time? Being a leather jacket it should have a bit of weight to it.

[Smokin]

Within the last couple of months I've had an end can take 2 weeks, a baffle take 4 days and a paintball marker in 4 days all via USPS.
Both items that took 4 days came out of LA, The Can came from Boston, maybe the State it comes from makes a difference perhaps.

[0arbreaka]

Hopefully it turns up this week sometime.

[trumpy]

I bring in stuff pretty much every week from the USA and have tried a number of different ways.
The US Postal Service was not that great but UPS, while more costly than other services is awsome. Parcels are normally door to door in 3 days sometimes 4, depending on day of despatch. Their tracking system is excellent should there be any problems.

[Titanium]

UPS or FEDEX is the way to go. 2 - 3 days maximum, full track and trace. It is worth the extra coin. $83 for a 23 kg box is a good deal.

For all the performance parts I have purchased out of the states since 2001, it has always cost $100 - $200 a time.

DHL have picked up their act ex USA as well.

USPS - hit and MISS realy.

Hope it gets here.

[0arbreaka]

I think next time I'll cough up the extra dosh for UPS, eveyone here recomends it. USPS dosent have sufficient tracking for their packages and im not to sure that I like that....

[0arbreaka]

It still hasnt shown up, I think Ill wait untill monday and if it hasnt shown up by then, I'll sort something out.

[apteryx_haasti]

An option in between USPS regular air mail and UPS is the USPS express mail. You get a tracking number and a 7 to 10 day delivery window. They say 5 to 7 but let's be real here.

I used to use it all the time in the States when I lived there to send stuff back to people here. I learned the first time (when I sent via USPS airmail and it took 6 weeks to get to NZ and was late for the b-day's I was sending it over for) that the extra bucks for the express with tracking option was well worth it.

Express with tracking option also led to me getting this great story to tell:

I posted a parcel from Birmingham, Alabama (where I was living at the time) to Dunedin, Otago NZ. It was by express mail with tracking, so I watched its progress (as you do).

After a couple of days it was showing as "Delivered - Dublin, Ireland" - EH?!? I rang the USPS help line and asked them what would happen to the package. The chirpy helpful lady told me it would be re-scanned and then directed to where it was going. The following conversation actually took place:

Me: "ummm, OK. That's fine. Just curious - do you know how it would have ended up in Dublin, Ireland rather than Dunedin, New Zealand?"

Chirpy: "I don't know, are they close?"

Me: "Ah....no...."

And you wonder why your parcel is taking a while, patd0g!

PS - it still got to NZ within 2 weeks...

[vifferman]

Who else has had problems with getting stuff shipped here from the states?
Nup.
Got a shifter kit a year or so ago, took about a week.
A couple of years before that, go some camchain tensioners and a TPS from the UK in 6 days.
My latest purchase is being mailed from New York to our hotel in LA and I'll pick it up! :Punk:

[0arbreaka]

The jacket finally turned up today:2thumbsup :clap: :banana:

[bell]

Yay! Happy riding.